Question: I usually get 9 hours sleep on school nights and 5-7 hours sleep on weekends. I'm usually tired and grumpy. I'd like to know if there's any way I can change my sleep pattern so I can get more sleep. Also if this habit is unhealthy. P.S: I don't use lots of energy during the day and I go to bed at 8:30 and read until 9:00, but I have to get up around 6:00 to get ready to go to school as my parents start work early and have to drop me off with my Aunt. I get off my computer three hours before I try to go to sleep and have dinner at 7:30, if any of this helps.
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On weekends I tend to stay up later reading or playing with my cousins if they come over, and getting up earlier to go to Soccer or getting on my computer.
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Staying up later and getting up earlier.. So it’s not the early rise that’s the problem. Maybe the physical exercise or the going to bed later?
clawathenathree
The annoying thing is that at your age your melatonin cycle (the stuff that makes you sleep) is not made for that sort of rhythm. So it’s not your fault.
What could help is training yourself with light (bright light in the morning, dim light an hour before sleeping). Or using a special lamp (or the sleepcycle app) for gradually waking up.
How do you feel on weekends? Less grumpy? If so, see what is different (apart from the not having to go to school) and see if you can bring those conditions to your weekday.
Take an online quiz to see if you are an extreme evening person and maybe win your parents over to not getting you up at such a terrible hour 🙂
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It sounds like you have a really good sleep routine during the week (what’s sometimes called “sleep hygiene”), but it’s true that teenage years can make sleep cycles difficult. What changes on a weekend? It sounds like you’re getting a lot less sleep then, which may be throwing you out for the weekdays.
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HI, Thanks for this question. It is a question that many students have. I dont know how old you are but sleep problems become very common in teenagers. Did you know that when your body starts growing into teenagerhood (is that a word??) your sleep also changes. It is actually a hormonal thing. Melatonin , our sleep hormone directs our sleep and wake patterns, it changes during teenagerhood and it doesnt like the light ….more light = harder to get to sleep. So, you are right, stopping watching the screen before you go to bed may be helpful
There are lots of reasons why you may be having trouble sleeping. Try checking out a few websites and see if the information can help.
Try this one http://www.sleepeducation.net.au
also visit the American Academy of Sleep medicine…..
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Try not to be too worried and stressed about it, it seems like you are trying your best to be a “good sleeper”.
As the other Brain Zoners have said, there may be things out of your control that are making you feel tired and grumpy.
I would also suggest things that sound kind of trivial and lame, but they can help like making sure you are drinking lots of water, eating well and doing things that make you happy during the day which could be getting some exercise, reading, painting, playing music to keep you feeling happy and reduce your general stress levels.
Being a teenager is a really, really stressful time, but the good thing is that it doesn’t last forever!!
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I think the others have covered this pretty well!!
I always find that I sleep better if I exercise during the day, and don’t go to bed on a full stomach. I think spending time outdoors also helps maintain your brain keep track of what time of day it is, and when you should be awake/asleep. Doing some activity after school might help a lot when it’s time to go to sleep.
I am 26 and I still wake up tired and grumpy if I have to get up early…so don’t worry! Getting up early is just generally pretty miserable! 😀
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